Nonfiction Matters: Reading, Writing, and Research in Grades 3-8

by Stephanie Harvey

When we open the gates to nonfiction inquiry, we open our thinking and expect the unexpected, making reading discoveries, research discoveries, and writing discoveries on our way. Nonfiction Matters offers teachers the tools to help students explore nonfiction and dig deep to reach more complete understanding of the real world and report these insights in a compelling manner. Stephanie Harvey shows how students can read expository text, engage in research, and write authentic nonfiction that is captivating, visual, and full of voice. The inquiry projects she describes require in-depth topic selection, question development, research exploration, reading for content, organization, synthesis, writing to convey meaning, and presenting findings―all skills that develop independent thinkers who know how to make decisions, solve problems, and apply their knowledge insightfully. Full of practical suggestions to help you bring nonfiction into your curriculum, Nonfiction presents strategies for understanding expository text and conducting meaningful research;offers ideas for organizing and writing accurate, effective nonfiction from idea to finished presentation;advances the importance of teacher modeling and guided practice in instructional delivery;provides a list of inquiry tools and resources―both print and electronic;suggests ways to facilitate project-based learning and assess the projects as they develop;includes bibliographies of nonfiction children's books by subject and genre and lists of recommended magazines.Why is nonfiction almost a guaranteed success? The key to teaching with nonfiction is passion, for children are passionate inquirers, and nonfiction fuels their curiosity and their demand for knowledge and understanding of the world.

Genres: Education, Professional Development, Teaching, Writing, Nonfiction, School

248 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Claude · Rating 4 out of 5]

read at the recommendation of my uni class co-ordinator (INF205 Literature and Other Resources for Children and Young Adults) and don't regret it. found it interesting; and I enjoyed seeing the scans of children's work from the mid-late 90s as well as the technological references haha.

for anyone reading this in the 2020s and beyond - there are a lot of great tips and points raised in this book that are still relevant for non-fiction writing and fostering inquiry interests, though some of the resources and limitations aren't as prevalent. defintely a recommended text on encouraging engaging non-fiction work.

[Marcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Modeling and facilitating the "The Writing Process" has always been my favorite part of literacy as I worked with young students. Lucy Calkins and Stephanie Harvey have been my own personal gurus, teaching me the strategies to teach the mini-lessons that help students' writing grow. Since social studies is my passion, I always strove to integrate literacy and social studies. Here is where Nonfiction Matters is essential to an elementary teacher's toolkit. I met Stephanie Harvey when she was invited to a literacy workshop in the town of Brookline, MA. Her humor, enthusiasm and deep knowledge of student learning shines through in this book! In the 21st century, the Common Core Standards is leaning towards the reading of non-fiction in order to prepare students for their future education. Many high schools and colleges do not feel that students are "writing ready." College professors of specific curriculum do not teach writing to their students, and there is a gap.

Stephanie Harvey makes the reading and writing of non-fiction interesting and fun for students from grades 3-8. She encourages students to have non-fiction notebooks for authentic questions and learning. She knows that classrooms that value wonder and curiosity will be an enriching experience for students' non-fiction inquiry. Stephanie encourages a daily collaboration with the librarian so students see the library as as a research heaven, an essential place to gather articles and information to answer authentic questions. Students can be encouraged to be the "curators" of research projects, keeping a box full of "collected" material to help students grow their knowledge around a topic. She encourages the use of primary sources, including interviewing "experts" in the field of a child's topic.

I particularly like Stephanie's establishment of the beginning of the year routines that foster inquiry and learning - engaging teachers and parents who are "experts" in a variety of topics, who can be tapped by students throughout the year as they learn through inquiry. What an awesome way to bring parents/teachers/children together! Stephanie gives teachers ideas how to stock their classrooms so that they will be inquiry-learning ready, (tape recorders, cameras, class roladexes, boxes for curatorial collections, clipboards, computers, sticky notes, notecards, catalogues, brochures, newsletters, crates of non-fiction books by genre, overhead projectors, magazines, newspapers, reference books, trade books, postal supplies, dictionaries, thesauruses, etc.). Stephanie teaches teachers how non-fiction reading can be "coded" and annotated with sticky notes, just like fiction.

Last, but not least, Stephanie teaches teachers the mini-lessons and expectations for students to write authentic, compelling non-fiction - to glue their thoughts together with accuracy, voice, writing with nouns and verbs, revising, editing, and promoting clarity in order to inform others. Students in the lower grades are like sponges. Students need much practice each school day reading and writing, integrating science and social studies with literacy.

In education today, much information is being disseminated to teachers about "standards." While standards encourage high expectations and "rigor" of curriculum, which I am all about, the actual strategies to teach to the standards are being ignored. This is, what I feel, is a missing link in education today. Nonfiction Matters is one of the essential books that help teachers enable students to reach and even exceed the standards, while learning to love school in the process. School should not be places to just prepare for the tests; they should be places where students become authentically engaged in the learning process.

[Jestine Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book on my own and decided it might be a good book to study with the current focus on nonfiction reading in schools. I really enjoyed reading through and making notes about it. This book explores the process of guiding students through and inquiry-based nonfiction project where they discover an area of interest, research that area, and create a project with their findings. The process in this book outlines a thorough method that goes far beyond finding a few books and writing a 5-paragraph essay from some notecards. Stephanie Harvey’s methods are very intriguing and seem to allow students to engage in their own learning on a much deeper level. I am looking forward to slowly incorporating her strategies into my classroom practices in order to assist students in enjoying and taking part in their own learning.

[Ann Haefele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good ideas regarding reading and writing nonfiction in the classroom, with many lessons that can carry over to library instruction. But because it is 1998 copyright, the resources suggested for use are a bit dated. There is a wealth of new nonfiction since the advent of common core that can be added to the suggested lessons. See your school librarian!!
One complaint is that through the many chapters about using nonfiction for research projects, rarely (except for Chapter 8) was the school librarian mentioned. Research is best accomplished when there is collaboration between the classroom teacher and librarian

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dug this out of the Professional Development bucket at my school on the advice of my co-op. I'll be using a lot of the frameworks in chapters seven through ten to throw together a nonfiction unit around the topic of Columbia's expansion into Harlem, a cultural event about which my students (and I) have very strong feelings but know very few facts. I'm hoping the subject will get them excited enough to to some hard-core research with me. We'll see.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dated technology references, but still worth the read. The author includes lots of ways to write about and respond to the reading of nonfiction texts. I will use this information in an inservice I am preparing.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My only 5 star book so far. Amazing resource for teachers.

[Reeves]

Well...I need to read some PD this summer. So far-this book is great. It will be helpful for planning in the fall!

[Jen Munnerlyn]

This book has been ordered for the 2009-10 school year on the advice of Katherine Casey who led the NESA Literacy Coaching group meeting in Jordan in November, 2008.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book to encourage student inquiry and passion in learning. Student choice is promoted in independent projects.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's too bad we don't have time to read professional books until we retire! Finally got to complete this book and was pleased that I used a lot of the practices in the media center!

[Shana Karnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some good, practical ideas!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephanie Harvey explores teaching nonfiction in this engaging book. It is full of ideas that can be easily used in the classroom and makes nonfiction anything but boring!